The present invention relates to a kit for a shutter, and more particularly to a kit for an adjustable size shutter.
A conventional shutter comprises a shutter panel and a mounting member therefore. The shutter panel may be formed of a plurality of sub-panels which are hingedly, and therefore pivotably, secured together. The mounting member is fastenable to a window support which, where the window is flush with the building front wall, may be the building front or, where the window is recessed inwardly from the building front wall, a side of the recess. Both constructions are well known in the art. Typically, the mounting member is either screwed into or nailed to the window support.
The prior art shutters have not proven to be entirely satisfactory to users thereof. In particular, while it is typically desired that the two shutters (one extending from each side of the window width) meet in the center of the window width in order to provide the symmetry and full protection of the window, in fact it sometimes happens that either the two shutters do not meet at all or possibly meet at a point which is not along the longitudinal line of symmetry of the window. Further, while some users prefer that the mounting member fully cover the window frame or a portion of the building front wall side (thereby to conceal the appearance of the window frame or wall portion with the shutter), in some instances the mounting member is of lesser width than the window frame or front wall portion and thus cannot entirely cover the same.
Typically, the above-mentioned problems associated with conventional shutters are capable of being remedied by a craftsman who creates and secures an extension member to the free end of the shutter panel (in the first case mentioned above) or the free end of the mounting member (in the second case mentioned above). However, such extension members have not been proven to be securely attachable to the shutter panel, (in the first case mentioned above) so as to prevent direct transverse separation thereof, due to the customary movement of the shutter panel by the user grasping the extension member thereon. While the shutter panel/extension member connection is not subject to great forces tending to move one longitudinally relative to the other, there is a significant force customarily exerted during opening and closing of the shutter to directly transversely pull the extension member from the shutter panel.
In any case, the design, implementation and installation of the extension member would be faster, easier and much cheaper if a preformed extension member could be added to the shutter panel or mounting member, as necessary, by the typical shutter purchaser without the need for employment of a skilled construction person.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a kit for an adjustable size shutter.
Another object is to provide such a kit wherein in one embodiment the effective width of the shutter panel may be increased.
A further object is to provide such a kit wherein in one embodiment the effective width of the mounting member may be increased.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a kit wherein in one embodiment the effective width of both the shutter panel and the mounting member may be increased.
It is also an object to provide such a kit wherein the shutter size is adjustable by a typical purchaser thereof, without skilled labor.
It is another object to provide such a kit which provides an adjustable size shutter which is simple and inexpensive to make, install, use and maintain.